Re: Road and Rail Funding (was Re: Bugger all express services on Hillside Trains)

[David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>]

Anthony Morton wrote:

> snipped your discussion on public transport options, I concur wholeheartedly. 

>  As for funding
> new roads with tolls, I agree in principle but I'd suggest that, if you're
> in favour of road pricing, you'd achieve the same outcome more easily by
> raising petrol prices.

The problem with doing that is that is penalises essential road users
and ordinary people making trips which can't easily be done by public
transport.

That is why I advocate fitting *all* vehicles with transponder
technology similar to that to be used on the new Melbourne city link
road/tunnel, and charging motorists a sliding scale of fees based on
whether they pass through congested areas at peak times, whether they
make a trip they could have used public transport for at peak times, and
the like. The technology exists. The idea is to penalise motorists who
don't need to use their cars for commuting purposes, encouraging them to
use public transport. And I would spend a lot of the money raised on
improving the public transport to the levels you suggest.

I approve of major new road projects like the Melbourne citylink and the
Sydney Harbour tunnel being privately owned tollways.... this provides
the funding for them at no cost to ordinary taxpayers. There are a lot
of projects in Auckland and Wellington which could be built like this,
essential projects like an Auckland Harbour Tunnel and the Transmission
Gully motorway in Wellington, which would massively alleviate congestion
but for which the public road agencies do not have the funds because
they are so massively expensive.

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand